The sport of lacrosse requires players to use a lacrosse stick to catch a ball, cradle and control the ball and pass the ball to another player or shoot the ball into a goal. The lacrosse stick typically comprises two portions: a head portion and a handle portion. The head is typically constructed to receive the ball and release the ball from a pocketed or basket area while the handle is typically constructed to allow the player to impart momentum to the ball by using upper body strength. Traditional lacrosse sticks are substantially rigid in that they do not flex during use. Some sticks have a one-piece design in which the head and stick handle are jointly formed from a single piece of wood, metal or plastic. Other sticks have a two-piece design in which the head and stick handle are independently fabricated and subsequently joined together in rigid fashion. Stick handles have typically been formed of wood, metal, such as aluminum, or plastic. Stick heads are typically formed of a tough thermoplastic material, however, some are also formed of wood or metal. Sticks having a two-piece design typically include a socket element to allow the stick handle to be rigidly attached to the head.
The head of a lacrosse stick is typically attached to the stick in a coaxial orientation. Typically, the frame head comprises at least one sidewall element that extends away from the handle portion of the stick and forming an open mouth for receiving a lacrosse ball. Suspended from the open mouth is a netting, mesh or other material that defines a basket in which the lacrosse ball is received, and from which a lacrosse ball may be passed.
Historically, lacrosse sticks were fabricated from a single piece of high-grade ash or hickory wood. However, with the decreasing availability of quality woodworking skills necessary to fabricate lacrosse sticks having integral one-piece wooden stick-head configuration, it has become commonplace to fabricate two-piece lacrosse sticks having a separate stick handle and head portion. Stick handles are typically made of straight-grained wood, wood laminate or a tough, lightweight metallic or reinforced plastic tubular material. Thin gauge metallic extrusion, such as aluminum, or tough polymeric materials, such as fiber reinforced composite plastics, are typically the most suitable materials for lacrosse stick handles. Head frames are typically formed from a tough synthetic thermoplastic material, such as high impact strength nylon. Atypically, the frame head and stick handle are fastened together at the socket by a fastener. A screw, rod or other equivalent fastener typically extends through the frame head and stick handle at the coaxial socket to rigidly join both pieces together.
Traditional one-piece and two-piece design lacrosse sticks are substantially rigid, such that they do not exhibit much flex during use. In a two-piece design, both pieces are fastened together such that the frame head and stick handle remain in the same plane at all times.
Accordingly, a need remains for an articulated lacrosse stick that allows the head to pivot with respect to the stick handle. Such pivoting action would increase the effectiveness of scooping the ball from the ground as well as improving the passing accuracy of the user. Other benefits of an articulated stick include easier throwing and catching, and improved shock absorption. The articulation mechanism would also allow the head portion of the stick to follow the contour of the ground when a user attempts to scoop a ball off the ground, thereby reducing the chance of injuries while scooping.
The present invention has been developed in view of the foregoing.